Madumere’s supporters shutdown Owerri

Vehicular and human movements were brought to a halt yesterday in Owerri, Imo state capital, as aggrieved indigenes of the State, numbering over 1,000 marched through major streets such as Wetheral, Tetelow, Okigwe and Assumpta Avenue, to protest the planned impeachment of the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, which, they alleged, was instigated by the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha, on a trumped up charge.

Most civil servants and traders, who were caught napping, had to walk long distances to their various places of work because of the traffic gridlock caused by the protesters.

The protesters, who had taken over the streets of Owerri as early as 6:00a.m. displayed placards with various inscriptions, such as: “Okorocha leave Madumere alone; Okorocha must you foist your son-in-law on Imo people; We are in Democracy, not in ‘Familiocracy’; We say no to Okorocha’s third term agenda; APC will not accept imposition of family candidate; NWC rise up before we lose Imo to PDP and We appeal to President Buhari to intervene in Imo Situation.”

They accused Governor Rochas Okorocha of being the brain behind the impeachment saga, through what they termed as Kangaroo charges against his deputy, “whose only sin is standing with Imo people against the governor’s third term bid through his son–in–law, Mr. Uche Nwosu in 2019.”

Similarly, the protesters, who poured invectives on the state legislators for allegedly turning themselves into puppets in the hands of the state governor, described the Acho Ihim-led State Assembly as the worst since the creation of the state. They accused the lawmakers of abandoning their legislative duties to become Okorocha’s contractors.

One of the leaders, Barr Chidiebere Nworgu, who addressed newsmen said the state is fast turning into the private estate of Governor Okorocha, “where an individual now treats the people with levity” and said it is time to resist such undemocratic tendencies.

“Where has Madumere derailed? This is a man who has been discharging his duties conscientiously with infectious humility. Is it not the same Okorocha who told us that the deputy governor does not give him stress, which made him pronounce in various fora that Prince Madumere is his son in whom he is well pleased. So, what has changed between now and then?

“The only sin of the deputy governor is that he is interested in contesting for the governorship of the state against the wish of Okorocha, who has resolved to foist his son-in–law, Uche Nwosu, on the party and the people of the state in 2019.”